South Island

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South Island
Native name: Te Wai Pounamu
Satellite view of South Island
Satellite view of South Island
Geography
Location New Zealand
Area 151,215 km² (58,093 m²)
Highest point Aoraki/Mount Cook 3,754 m (12,316 ft)
Administration
Flag of New Zealand New Zealand
Largest city Christchurch (414,000)
Demographics
Population 1,008,400 (as of 30 June 2007)
Density 6.7 per km²/km²
Indigenous people European, Māori

The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. The Māori name for the South Island, Te Wai Pounamu, meaning "The Water/s of Greenstone" (greenstone being jade), possibly evolved from Te Wāhi Pounamu which means "The Place Of Greenstone". The island is also known as Te Waka a Māui which means "Māui's Canoe".[1]

Contents

The South Island is often called "the Mainland". Today this expression is used humourously, although still with pride by "Mainlanders", since while is a somewhat larger landmass than the North Island, only about a quarter of New Zealand's four million inhabitants live in the South Island. However, in the early stages of Pākehā (i.e. non-Māori, largely white European) population of the country, the South Island was preeminent, with the majority of the Pakeha population and wealth focussed there due to gold rushes. It was not until the early 20th century that the North Island population overtook the South, with 56% of the population living in the North in 1911.[2] In Māori legend, the South Island existed first, as the boat of Maui, while the North Island was the fish that he caught. However, the South Island has never been the main site of Māori population.

In the 19th century, some maps named the South Island as Middle Island or New Munster, and the name South Island or New Leinster was used for today's Stewart Island/Rakiura.

There are seven local government regions covering the South Island and all its adjacent islands and territorial waters. Four are governed by an elected regional council, while three are governed by territorial authorities (the second tier of local government) which also perform the functions of a regional council and thus are known as unitary authorities. There is one exception to this, Nelson City is governed by an individual Territorial authority to its region (Tasman Region). The Chatham Islands Council is often counted by many as a unitary authority, but it is officially recognised as a part of the region of Canterbury.

There are 25 territorial authorities within the South Island: 4 city councils, 20 district councils and the Chatham Islands Council. Four territorial authorities (Nelson City Council, Tasman and Marlborough District Councils and the Chatham Islands Council) also perform the functions of a regional council and thus are known as unitary authorities.

This is a list of Political Parties, past and present, who have their headquarters in the South Island.

Further information: Cities and Towns of the South Island and List of famous South Islanders

Compared to the more populated and multi-ethnic North Island, the South Island has a smaller, more homogeneous resident population of 1,008,400.[3] At the 2001 Census, over 91 percent of people in the South Island said they belong to the European ethnic group, compared with 80.1 percent for all of New Zealand [4].

Further information: List of South Island Companies

The South Island had an estimated sub-national GDP of US$27.8 billion (as of 2003)[5].

The main industry groups within the South Island are manufacturing, agriculture, mining, construction, electricity, gas and water supply, education, health and community services.

This is a list of ski areas and resorts in the South Island where the public can pay to ski.

Main article: Transport in New Zealand

Further information: List of New Zealand State Highways#South Island and State Highway 1 (New Zealand)#South Island (SH1S)

The South Island has a State Highway network of 4,921 km.

South Island Rail Network Map
South Island Rail Network Map
See also: List of New Zealand railway lines, Rail transport in New Zealand.

The South Island's railway network has two main lines, two secondary lines, and a few branch lines. The Main North Line from Picton to Christchurch and the Main South Line from Lyttelton to Invercargill via Dunedin together comprise the South Island Main Trunk Railway. The secondary Midland Line branches from the Main South Line in Rolleston and passes through the Southern Alps via the Otira Tunnel to the West Coast and its terminus in Greymouth. In Stillwater, it meets the other secondary route, the Stillwater - Westport Line, which now includes the Ngakawau Branch. A number of other secondary routes are now closed, including the Otago Central Railway, the isolated Nelson Section, and the interdependent Waimea Plains Railway and Kingston Branch. An expansive network of branch lines once existed, especially in Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, but these are now almost completely closed. The branch lines that remain in operation serve ports (Bluff Branch and Port Chalmers Branch), coal mines (Ohai Branch and Rapahoe Branch), and a dairying factory (Hokitika Branch). The first 64 km of the Otago Central Railway remain in operation for tourist trains run by the Taieri Gorge Railway (TGR). The most significant freight is coal from West Coast mines to the port of Lyttelton for export.

Passenger services were once extensive. Commuter trains operated multiple routes around Christchurch and Dunedin, plus a service between Invercargill and Bluff. Due to substantial losses, these were cancelled between the late 1960s and early 1980s. The final services to operate ran between Dunedin and Mosgiel, and they ceased in 1982.[6] Regional passenger trains were once extensive, but are now limited to the TranzCoastal from Christchurch to Picton and the TranzAlpine from Christchurch to Greymouth. The Southerner between Christchurch and Invercargill, once the flagship of the network, was cancelled on 10 February 2002. Subsequently, the architecturally significant Dunedin Railway Station has been used solely by the TGR's tourist trains, the Taieri Gorge Limited along the Otago Central Railway and the Seasider to Palmerston. Rural passenger services on branch lines were provided by mixed trains and Vulcan/88 seater railcars but the mixeds had largely ceased to exist by the 1950s and the railcars were withdrawn in the mid-1970s.

The South Island saw the final use of steam locomotives in New Zealand. Locomotives belonging to classes long withdrawn elsewhere continued to operate on West Coast branches until the very late 1960s, when they were displaced by DJ class diesels. In comparison to most countries, where steam locomotives were last used on insubstantial rural and industrial operations, the very last services run by steam locomotives were the premier expresses between Christchurch and Invercargill: the South Island Limited until 1970 and the Friday and Sunday night services until 1971. This was due to the carriages being steam-heated. The final steam-hauled service in New Zealand, headed by a member of the JA class, ran on 26 October 1971.[7]

Main article: Transport in New Zealand#Ferry services
Toll Shipping's Arahura in the Marlborough Sounds after crossing the Cook Strait.
Toll Shipping's Arahura in the Marlborough Sounds after crossing the Cook Strait.

The South Island is separated from the North Island by Cook Strait, 24 km wide at its narrowest point, but requiring a 70-km ferry trip to cross.

LOCATION    ICAO    IATA    AIRPORT NAME
Alexandra NZLX ALR Alexandra Aerodrome
Ashburton NZAS ASG Ashburton Aerodrome
Balclutha NZBA Balclutha Aerodrome
Blenheim NZWB BHE Blenheim Airport (Woodbourne)
Chatham Islands NZCI CHT Chatham Islands / Tuuta Airport
Christchurch NZCH CHC Christchurch International Airport (long-distance)
Cromwell NZCS Cromwell Racecourse Aerodrome
Dunedin NZDN DUD Dunedin International Airport (limited)
Forest Field / Rangiora NZFF Forest Field Aerodrome
Glentanner / Lake Pukaki NZGT GTN Glentanner Aerodrome
Gore NZGC Gore Aerodrome
Greymouth NZGM GMN Greymouth Airport
Haast NZHT Haast Aerodrome
Hokitika NZHK HKK Hokitika Airport
Invercargill NZNV IVC Invercargill Airport
Kaikoura NZKI KBZ Kaikoura Aerodrome
Milford Sound NZMF MFN Milford Sound Airport
Mount Cook NZMC MON Mount Cook Aerodrome
Motueka NZMK MZP Motueka Aerodrome
Nelson NZNS NSN Nelson Airport
Oamaru NZOU OAM Oamaru Aerodrome
Picton NZPN PCN Picton Aerodrome
Queenstown NZQN ZQN Queenstown International Airport (limited)
Stewart Island/Rakiura NZRC SZS Ryans Creek Aerodrome
Takaka NZTK KTF Takaka Aerodrome
Te Anau / Manapouri NZMO TEU Manapouri Aerodrome
Timaru NZTU TIU Richard Pearse Airport
Twizel NZUK TWZ Pukaki Aerodrome
Wanaka NZWF WKA Wanaka Airport
Westport NZWS WSZ Westport Airport
Wigram NZWG Wigram Aerodrome

A true-colour image of the South Island, after a powerful winter storm swept across New Zealand on June 12, 2006.
A true-colour image of the South Island, after a powerful winter storm swept across New Zealand on June 12, 2006.

The South Island with an area of 151,215 km² (58,093 square miles) is the largest land mass of New Zealand, it contains about one quarter of the New Zealand population and is the world's 12th-largest island. It is divided along its length by the Southern Alps, the highest peak of which is Aoraki/Mount Cook at 3754 metres (12,316 ft). There are eighteen peaks of more than 3000 metres (9800 ft) in the South Island. The east side of the island is home to the Canterbury Plains while the West Coast is famous for its rough coastlines, very high proportion of native bush, and Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers.

The climate in the South Island is mostly temperate. The Mean temperature for the South Island is 8°C (46°F).[8] January and February are the warmest months while July is the coldest.

Most areas have between 600 and 1600 mm of rainfall with the most rain along the West Coast and the least rain on the East Coast, predominantly on the Canterbury Plains. Christchurch is the driest city receiving about 640 mm (25 in) of rain per year.

There are three main factors that influence New Zealand's climate:[9]

Other Native Reserves and Parks

Glaciers:

Rivers:

The South Island has several tertiary level institutions:

Current Stations

Previous Stations

Current Stations

Previous Stations

  • Radio Scenicland and later Scenicland FM - Rebranded as Classic Hits Scenicland FM.

Current Stations

Previous Stations

  • 3ZB - Rebranded as Newstalk ZB
  • 3ZE (Ashburton) - Rebranded as Classic Hits 92.5 ZEFM
  • Channel Z - Operated local Channel Z station until 2001 when station was replaced with Auckland based network product.
  • Fox FM (Ashburton) - Rebranded as Port FM
  • 99 Life FM - Original Life FM station
  • B98 FM - Rebranded as Classic Hits B98 and later Classic Hits 97.7
  • Lite FM - Rebranded as The Breeze
  • Radio Avon and later C93FM
  • Radio Caroline (Timaru) - Rebranded as Classic Hits 99FM
  • Blush 96.1 - Christchurch NZBS "Live Sexy"

Current Stations

Previous Stations

  • 4XO - Rebranded as More FM
  • 4ZB and later ZBFM - Rebranded as Classic Hits 89FM
  • 93Rox
  • Radio Waitaki (Oamaru) - Rebranded as Classic Hits Radio Waitaki
  • Whitestone FM (Oamaru) - Rebranded as Port FM

Current Stations

Previous Stations

  • Radio Central (Alexandra) - Rebranded as More FM
  • Resort Radio (Queenstown) - Rebranded as More FM
  • Q92 (Queenstown) - Rebranded as Q92 The Breeze

Current Stations

Previous Stations

Main article: Sport in New Zealand

A number of national or international sporting teams and events are based in the South Island, including:

International events hosted in the South Island include Super 14 Rugby.

Several movies have been filmed (in large part) in the South Island, including the Lord of the Rings and 2005's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.

  1. ^ The South Island takes the definite article when used as a noun whereas maps, headings or tables and adjectival expressions use South Island. This pattern can be found in a number of other names, such as the United Kingdom, the Vatican and the Internet. Examples:
    • My mother lives in the South Island
    • The North Island is smaller in area than the South Island
    • I'm visiting the South Island
    • The major South Island peaks are all in the Southern Alps
    Note also that places are said to be in the South Island rather than on the South Island.
  2. ^ King, Michael (2003). The Penguin History of New Zealand. Auckland: Penguin Books, 280-281. ISBN 0143018671. 
  3. ^ South Island population reaches one million: Subnational Population Estimates at 30 June 2007, Statistics New Zealand.
  4. ^ Statistics New Zealand [1]
  5. ^ http://www.stats.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/BE5F3426-1CB8-4450-84B3-B4587181907E/0/RegionalGDPTables.xls
  6. ^ Tony Hurst, Farewell to Steam: Four Decades of Change on New Zealand Railways (Auckland: HarperCollins, 1995), 96.
  7. ^ David Leitch, Steam, Steel and Splendour (Auckland: HarperCollins, 1994), 89.
  8. ^ From NIWA Science climate overview.
  9. ^ Statistics New Zealand [2] page.
v • d • e
Regions of New Zealand
North Island
South Island
¹ Unitary authorities


Coordinates: 43°59′S, 170°27′E

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Island"
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